Box Score PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team was downed by La Salle in the final game of this weekend's series, falling 10-8 on Sunday afternoon as a four-run ninth inning was not enough to close the gap.
 
Junior pitcher James Capellupo started the game for the Bonnies (12-34-1, 6-21 A-10) and tossed five innings, giving up just one run on three hits before the La Salle (24-28, 8-19 A-10) bats came alive down the stretch.
 
Senior Chris Hoalcraft provided some early offense for the visitors in the third inning, homering to left field and driving in Anthony Fernandez, who had singled.
 
More production followed in the fourth frame as the Bonnies loaded the bases. Patient at bats from Fernandez and redshirt junior Conner Vercollone led to two run-scoring walks, putting Bona's lead at 4-0 as Capellupo continued to deal in the early going.
 
The Explorers got on the board with runs in the fifth and sixth innings to cut the deficit in half, setting the stage for a five-run eruption in the seventh inning. The hosts mustered four hits and three walks in that frame to take a 7-4 lead.
 
After shutting down the Bonnies' offense in the top of the eighth, La Salle sent three more runs across the plate in the next half inning to reach a 10-4 advantage.
 
Although the hosts grabbed control of the contest late, Bonaventure would not go down without a fight. Fernandez led off the top of the ninth frame with a home run to right field to take back some momentum, which Hoalcraft followed up with a walk and a stolen base. Junior Manuel Castro then doubled to center field, driving in Hoalcraft and injecting some life into the visiting dugout.
 
Junior Joey Calabretti then sent the third SBU home run of the day over the left field wall to cut the lead to just 10-8. Unfortunately for the Bonnies, the comeback would halt there as the Explorers punched out the next three batters to secure a series sweep.
 
Fernandez led Bona's offense for the day with three hits and pairs of runs, walks and RBIs.
 
UP NEXT
The Bonnies begin a three-game series with Fordham this coming Thursday with the first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m.
 
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